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Saint Clair Family Estate from Marlborough with Alison Downs presenting.
Last month we had Saint Clair Family Estate from Marlborough with Alison Downs presenting.
This was an extremely well-presented evening and was enjoyed by all club members present – 40 of us!
It was interesting hearing Alison’s wine journey from the UK and Europe to the New World and her enduring wine passion and growing knowledge and experience.
The committee was unanimous in their agreement that Alison is probably the best presenter we have had in recent memory.
Our orders from the evening were substantial with people enjoying all the wines presented, especially interesting to get to sample the Pinot Blanc, a new white grape for most.
Our 40th Anniversary dinner at Bellamy’s by Logan Brown at the Beehive Wednesday 18th November, 6:30 to 6.45 pm arrival for a 7:30 pm seating.
The first Club meeting was held in the month of November 1980. To recognise that historic milestone, our celebratory dinner will be held at Bellamy’s by Logan Brown at their restaurant in the Beehive.
The Beehive, Parliament Buildings, Wellington
Please arrive early as everyone attending has to clear Parliamentary security.
Access is through the ground floor of the Beehive, the door being on the side near the steps to Parliament Buildings.
On arrival, you will need to go through a security check. You will have to go through a gate – the same as at an airport – so be prepared to empty your pockets into a tray (men) and place your handbag etc in a tray (ladies). Your BYO will need to go through the scanner too!
After passing through security proceed to the Reception desk which is on the right at about two o’clock as you come through the electronic gate. Here the receptionists will have been supplied with a list of those attending so will be able to mark you off (if that hasn’t already been done by the security guards at the gate). You will be provided with a lift key that will allow you access to Level 3.
On exiting the lift go straight ahead to the large reception area in the restaurant where there will be the customary glass of bubbles, supplied by the Club.
You will also find lists shows your seat number and at your table, there will be cards detailing your menu choices, should you need reminding.
The dress code is smart casual [think summer wedding]. For women, that’s classy casual and for men, jacket with tie optional.
Note, the previously advised seating maximum of eight diners per table has been relaxed for our dinner and we are now confident we can accommodate our more tradition groupings.
So, bring along a favourite bottle of wine and be prepared for a very special occasion.
Sadly the delayed Wellington/Burger on a Plate has meant that the restaurant is unable to finalise our menu until after that event finishes. That means we won’t receive it until the first week of November. We have reluctantly accepted this, as it does ensure that we end up with a menu that should make the best of what is seasonally available.
But rather than leave everything to the last minute, we have decided to ask you to reply to this email by completing, as appropriate, the boxes below and at the same time crediting our bank account 06 0541 0056031 00 with $70 per person wishing to attend.
If your email software doesn’t allow you to input directly to these boxes when you go reply, we suggest you use your mouse to select the boxes and then copy and paste them into the reply section of your email.
If you don’t currently use internet banking, we can accept your cheque although this dinner is likely to be the last occasion that we can do this, as the ANZ is no longer accepting cheques for clearance after 1 June 2021
Important points
We will require the full name of each person attending [not just first and last names] as I believe this needs to be provided to Parliamentary security early in November we will provide the final menu and seek your menu choices. If the final menu is not to your liking, let us know and we will refund you immediately.
In addition to your meal choice, the table will also be served with a plate of each of the sides. These and corkage are all included in the dinner price. Also included will be your customary glass of bubbles on arrival. The dress code is smart casual [think summer wedding]. For women, that’s classy casual and for men, jacket with tie optional. Table seating is either 6 or 8 places. Sorry, there can be no large groups.
Please reply before the end of October. Bellamys have limited seating and for this reason, we will be operating on a first-come basis and if the number is exceeded, we may need to add you to a waiting list. Whilst Bellamys’ limit does exceed the attendance levels of our past 10 dinners, we do think that the special nature of this dinner could prove to be a challenge so please reply as soon as possible.
We did contemplate limiting the dinner to just members but decided that this was unfair to those non-member partners who have been regular attendees at our past dinners. Nor has this ever been an approach that has been applied in the past.
Menu
Entrée
Green Onion Panisse, Layered Beetroot, And Mount Eliza Raw Milk Cheddar Emulsion
Portobello and Pinot Noir Bourguignon, Jerusalem Artichoke and Shaved White Button Mushrooms
Dessert
Gisborne Citrus Sorbet, Meringue, Citrus and Black Sesame Crumb and Chantilly
Dark Chocolate Cremeux, Buttermilk Mint Sorbet, Cookie Crumble, Aero Chocolate and Caramel
Sides
Triple-Cooked Beef Fat Thick Cut Fries Truffle Oil and Parmesan Thyme and Garlic Roasted Portobello Mushrooms with Balsamic Fresh Garden Lettuce with Citrus and Tahini Dressing Kumara and Potato Gratin
Some drinking fads come and go, while others, such as rosé and the once-obscure but now ubiquitous orange wine, are here to stay. With the uncertainty that 2020 has unleashed on the beverage industry, accurately predicting the next wine craze is a daunting task.
To discover which trends could soon be in vogue, VinePair polled industry pros to find the wines and industry practices that they hope will soon gain traction. From an innovative American wine region to grape varieties and winemaking styles that deserve more attention, here are 12 trends that might be coming to a wine store or restaurant nearby.
Wine Trends Sommeliers Wish Would Catch On
Marsalas
Piquettes
Screw caps
Champagne
Trusting your instincts
Grosses Gewächs Dry Rieslings
Coffee shop wine bars
Selfie-less wine
North American hybrid grapes
Labels with technical data
Transparency
Rieslings
Keep reading for details about all the recommended trends to watch!
“I like seeing the youngsters drinking their red wines chilled — cold, even. I am [also] happy to see red sparklings gaining a little shelf and cooler space. The thing I have been pushing for the last two years is great Marsala as an indulgence, or a luxury item, instead of a common kitchen ingredient. Marsala belongs in a glass, not on a plate.” —Jeremy Allen, Beverage Director, Little Dom’s & MiniBar Hollywood, Los Angeles
“The making of Piquette. It’s a light, easy-drinking, low-ABV, slightly fizzy wine product made from the grape pomace macerated in water, and traditionally something served to vineyard workers during harvest.” —Damien del Rio, Owner, Sauced, Brooklyn
“I would like [to see] more screw caps and less cork. The sustainability of [the] screw cap is the way to go!” —Lenya Wilson, Level 2 WSET Sommelier, The Glenmark, Glendale, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel, Glendale, Calif.
“Drinking Champagne and sparkling wine for no reason at all.” —Rob Wecker, Master Sommelier and Owner, Bushel and a Peck Kitchen & Bar, Clarksville, Md.
“I wish people would learn to trust people — and their own palates — more than numbers or scores. Trust your instincts about what you like, rather than drinking what someone else thinks you should be drinking. … If you’re really interested in learning about all of the different wines and flavours that are out there, try to pick up at least one new bottle every time you shop for wine. Talk to the people who work at your wine store of choice, whether that’s the grocery store or your local wine shop. Tell them what you usually drink, and ask them to suggest something similar, but different, so you can try something new.” —Shawn Paul, Wine Operations Director, Foxcroft Wine Co., Charlotte, N.C. and Greenville, S.C.
“If there was one trend I wish would catch on, it’s using Grosses Gewächs (great growths) dry Rieslings on wine lists. These are super complex, pair with a range of foods, and, in my opinion, are better pairing wines than white Burgundies.” —Patrick Reno, Beverage Director, Luthun, NYC
“I noticed some new stores combining coffee shops and wine bars. I think those are perfect matches for mornings [that] then roll into a wine bar in the p.m. Both beverages [can be] enjoyed in that setting, doing some work or hanging with friends over some small plates. I think that setup makes wine bars more profitable and helps people learn, with the ability for service teams to talk to their guests. —Luke Kennedy, General Manager, Proper 21K, Washington, D.C.
“Drinking wine without posting a picture of the bottle. If three people drink a bottle of Clos Rougeard together, but no one posts a picture on Instagram, does it still count?” —Jordon Sipperley, Wine Director, Tidbits by Dialogue, Santa Monica, Calif.
“We are seeing a new generation of winemakers in New England experimenting with North American hybrid grapes (such as Frontenac Noir, Marquette, Brianna) — as [opposed] to the vitis vinifera grapes that we all know and love. Female winemaker Deirdre Heekin of La Garagista is a pioneering example of this.” —Kylie Monagan, Partner/Wine Director, Civetta Hospitality (Amali, Calissa, Bar Marseille), NYC and Water Mill, N.Y.
“More technical data detailed on the label. [I] love it when wineries provide information regarding the composition, oak regimen, vineyards, and name of winemaker, grape growers and/or cellar master.” —Scott Lester, Wine Director, Fellow, Los Angeles
“Transparency! By which I mean, simply, putting the ingredients of your wine on the label. It’s such a strange thing that the FDA requires nutritional labels for all packaged food, yet someone can make wine, manipulate it with all sorts of additives and chemicals, and call it Cabernet Sauvignon without listing what they actually put into it. A few wineries in Oregon have started listing their ingredients on the label as a movement to show that they only used organic grapes, for example, or perhaps they had to dilute with water, so the water becomes an ingredient. This is a movement about awareness. I think it is a long road to get people on track to really care, but if the wine industry were required to label all ingredients, that might change.” —Austin Bridges, Wine Director, Nostrana, Portland, Ore.
“I wish more people would be open to trying Rieslings. Many sommeliers and wine experts appreciate the qualities of a Riesling because it is such a unique and versatile wine that pairs with virtually any kind of food. … Rieslings offer a fresh new bouquet of flavour to the palate and are really quite, unlike any other wines. If you are ‘anti-sweetness,’ which is often associated with so many German Rieslings, stick with dry Rieslings from many New World countries or from Alsace. You will still get the flavour profile but much less sweetness — although sometimes the sweetness really helps when cooling down spicy foods.” —Piero Procida, Food & Beverage Director, The London West Hollywood at Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Calif.
No one likes mistakes, but not all blunders are bad ones. Straying from the plan can sometimes lead to something better. This is especially true in wine, where trial and error are essential, and so many changes during hands-off processes like ageing.
The Prisoner
California winemaker Dave Phinney is one of the more legendary examples. Using an ad hoc mix of grapes, he created The Prisoner, a Zinfandel-driven red blend that proved unexpectedly popular, consistently selling out and establishing a new quality benchmark for blended wines altogether.
A rare blend of Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Syrah, & Charbono.
Phinney’s not the only vintner who’s made the most from a fluke in the cellar or vineyard, however.
For John and Stacey Reinert of Napa Valley’sBrilliant Mistake Wines, it was a fleeting impulse that brought success. In 2014, they sought to create a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant red blend. They enlisted Maayan Koschitzky, winemaker at Screaming Eagle and Atelier Melka by Philippe Melka, and sourced Cab from two of Napa’s most acclaimed vineyards. When other varieties were added, however, nothing worked.
“We tried all kinds of measurements and different grapes, but it still didn’t taste right,” says John. “That is until Stacey poured two samples [Cab] bottles into one wine glass on a whim. It was mind-blowing.”
They changed course and chose to instead make a 100% Cab Sauvignon. Delicious already, but with the structure to age, the wine earned high praise and established the label’s reputation. “[It] turned out to be a phenomenal wine for us,” he says.
An Intuitive Vinification
In New York’s Finger Lakes, winemaker Thomas Pastuszak also found fortune by chance. A sommelier and wine director at NoMad New York, Pastuszak started Empire Estate winery with Kelby James Russell, winemaker at Red Newt Cellars, in 2014.
Hoping to showcase the region’s dynamic terroir, he set out to create a Riesling from multiple vineyards. But impressed by one particular organic site, he followed his gut and left the grapes apart from the others.
“We harvested the site a month after the others and…it was such a unique expression that it demanded to be on its own,” he says.
Pastuszak believes the result, Empire’s Reserve Dry Riesling, is what set the brand apart from others.
West Auckland’s wines are produced close to the city but their origins are a world away, writes Maggie Wicks
A view of the vineyards, Westbrook Winery, Auckland. Photo / Supplied
Dalmatian history is everywhere in West Auckland. You can see it as you drive. As central Auckland falls away, it gives way to suburbs, then motorways, then the low-lying industry of car yards and forklift hires. Finally, the paddocks and tractors and fruit trees of the countryside, only 25 minutes from town.
As the landscape changes, so does the language. Viksich. Vitasovich. Yukich and Fistonich. The history is written directly on to the street signs and the businesses.
And then there is wine. Award-winning, experimental, modern and traditional. It’s all here.
The late Josip Babich, who planted his first wines in 1912 when he was a teenager. Photo / Supplied
Kumeu is one of New Zealand’s most historic wine regions. Babich, one of the region’s best-known wineries, has been producing wine for 100 years. Josip Babich was just 14 years old when he left his home in Dalmatia, and set sail for New Zealand. He was alone – he never saw his parents again. He was here to dig kauri gum with his four brothers – he ended up establishing one of New Zealand’s most historic vineyards.
Down the road at Kumeu River, history is in the making. The Brajkovich family left Croatia for New Zealand in the 1930s, and have gone on to be internationally recognised as setting a benchmark for non-Burgundy chardonnays.
A world-leading chardonnay
In 2014, a very special blind tasting took place. London wine distributors Farr Vintners brought together a room of world-leading wine experts, critics and writers. Each of Kumeu River’s four chardonnays were tasted against white burgundies (chardonnay grown and produced in the French region of Burgundy) from the finest French producers. And the result? Kumeu triumphed over the top white burgundies in every category except one – where it came first-equal.
The Brajkovich family, the owners of Kumeu River. Photo / Supplied
Kumeu River was started by Mate and Melba Brajkovich, and the company is now run by their four children. Between them there is a Master of Wine, a hospitality expert, a chemical engineer and a marketing professional – they really couldn’t have planned it better. Rather than pitch into the juice with commercially cultivated yeast, they use a natural fermentation, leaving it to the ravages of the wild yeasts in the atmosphere. The result is nothing short of gorgeous. This August they’ll release the 2019 Hunting Hill chardonnay, which they say it’s their best ever – do not miss out. This is beautiful country to drive through, but you may not recognise any of it past Swanson, which is the last passenger stop on the line. These days the lines further out carry only stock, no passengers, which is a crying shame. A train would be a handy and safe way to get home after a day of wine tasting. In the Ararimu Valley, Westbrook is named after an old station, between Waikomiti and Glen Eden, which closed in the 80s. The winery was owned by the Ivisovich family for 85 years, until they sold to another local family just a few years ago. Here they offer not just a wine tasting, but an education in wine and food matching.
An education in wine pairing
Food and drink at Westbrook, Riverhead. Photo / Supplied
Order the cheese and wine platter, and you’ll find a surprise on there – an outstanding bad match, which the server will delight in watching you discover for yourself. It’s a great lesson, and they’ll make sure you end on something delicious.
As you drive through Kumeu, you’ll realise that they’re experimental out here. Whereas Marlborough specialises in sauvignon blanc, in Kumeu they’re always testing and adjusting, trying new grapes, old grapes, fashionable styles and unheard of ones. Albarino is popular at the moment – it’s the chardonnay drinker’s sauv, and you’ll find it at many of the Kumeu cellar doors. At the Hunting Lodge you’ll find an orange wine, a love-it or loathe-it drip that is fermented with the skins on. They’ve most recently released the Chardy Jack – bourbon-barrel-fermented chardonnay that could have happily come home with me.
An historic Auckland homestead
The Conservatory dining room at The Hunting Lodge, Waimauku. Photo / Supplied
Once a private country estate, the historic 19th-century lodge has been hosting Aucklanders’ boozy lunches for five decades. This is also the site of New Zealand’s first sauvignon blanc. Now, more than 70 per cent of wine produced in New Zealand is sauv, and the Hunting Lodge still bottles its Homeblock sauvignon from 40-year-old vines.
At the lodge, guests can choose a pizza to nibble at the lawn bar, play petanque in the family area, visit the cellar door for a tasting (free if you buy a bottle), or take a table in the airy all-white conservatory, where the windows run from floor to ceiling. The restaurant has taken chef Des Harris from Clooney and put him in charge of this beautiful dining area, where he works with a permaculturalist to create a sustainable farm-to-table experience.
Food and wine at The Hunting Lodge, Waimauku. Photo / Supplied
We entered starving, we left stuffed. There was homegrown roasted beetroot served with ricotta and huge wedges of focaccia, a painterly pumpkin soup splattered with oils and petals and seeds, followed by lamb shoulder with fricelli pasta. After that, passionfruit and rosemary jellies with salted caramel fudge, and finally a glass of amaretto on ice appeared. Monsieur, it is only wafer thin…
Sated, satisfied, and a bit fuzzy around the edges, we walked out into the cold night, where a taxi was waiting. It was a dreamy 35 minutes back to Auckland along the dark and empty roads. An easy end to an easy, and excellent, day out.
Where to visit on a wine tour of Kumeu
Babich Wines For a history lesson and great hospitality, plus the terrace is the perfect place on a sunny day.
babichwines.com Soljans Soljan’s was established in 1937 by Bartul Soljan, and is one of the oldest wineries in the country. It remains a proud family-owned and operated vineyard, and visitors can take a tour with a member of the family. Visit the cellar door for a wine flight, from the sparkling moscato to the tawny port, then stay for lunch.
soljans.co.nz Kumeu River A cellar door only. Stop by for a tasting of those famous chardonnays, and to learn about the history of this family-run business.
Kumeuriver.co.nz Coopers Creek A friendly cosy atmosphere by the fireside in winter, and gigs and picnics on the lawn in summer.
cooperscreek.co.nz Westbrook Beautiful dining area overlooking manicured lawns. Explore the grounds and experience the wine and cheese pairing.
Westbrook.co.nz The Hunting Lodge The perfect place to finish, from pizza to fine dining, and some unique bottlings.
It’s a only short drive, but if everyone wants to wine taste, arrange a driver. Both NZ Wine Pro (nzwinepro.co.nz) and Fine Wine Tours (finewinetours.co.nz) offer door-to-door service with an expert on hand to introduce you to the history, the winemakers and the wines you taste, plus lunch included.
New Zealanders may be surprised to know that the backer of many of their favourite wine brands is a Trump supporter, commentators say.
Bill Foley is an American billionaire whose Foley Family Wines Holdings has the majority stake in Foley Wines, which owns wine brands including Mt Difficulty, Te Kairanga, Vavasour, Roaring Meg, Dashwood, Russian Jack and Boatshed Bay as well as Lighthouse Gin.
A report by the San Francisco Chronicle said Foley had donated US$255,600 (NZ$393,939) to the United States President Donald Trump between 2016 and 2020.
It was the second-largest donation by a California vintner or winery executive to the Trump campaign, the paper said.
The biggest was from Tom Barrack at Happy Canyon Vineyard, worth US$360,600.
Foley Wines has been approached for comment.
David Cormack, who runs PR firm Draper Cormack, said the donations could put New Zealanders off the products.
Mt Difficulty Inspiration Cuvée Pinot Noir 2013
“Many New Zealanders would be deeply disappointed if they learned that some of their favourite so-called Kiwi brands were owned by a Trump-supporting American.”
But Bodo Lang, head of marketing at the University of Auckland, said he thought it unlikely to make a difference.
“There are two reasons for this. Firstly, most wine drinkers are unlikely to be aware of Foley’s political ideology and secondly, even if they are, New Zealand is a relatively apolitical country, meaning that our involvement with politics is relatively low. However, this could change depending on future actions of Trump and how vocal Foley is in his support of Trump.”
Billionaire wine magnate Bill Foley is investing heavily in his South Wairarapa assets.
Another marketing commentator, Ben Goodale, said the donations would be a corporate decision made in the United States, rather than anything to do with local winemakers and specific brands.
“It would be a shame to vilify great Kiwi wines because the parent company donate to the worst US president in history.”
In 2010, Foley and two other parties bought the South Wairarapa luxury lodge Wharekauhau. At the time, the property was estimated to be worth $24 million.
Future event for the club in late 2020 and into 2021 is packed with a range of presenters and no less than three food and wine events .
November 18th – – Our 40th Anniversary dinner at Bellamy’s (run by Logan Brown) at the Beehive
The first Club meeting was held in the month of November. To recognise that historic milestone, a celebratory dinner has been arranged, to be held at Bellamy’s by Logan Brown at their restaurant in the Beehive. This is set down for Wednesday 18 November, so check your diaries for availability.
Details will be sent out shortly, asking for your registration and to make your selection from the accompanying menu. As for any such venue, there will be a limit on numbers which means you should register quickly to secure your place.
The food promises to be of very high quality. So, book your place and go dig around in your wine stocks to find the special bottle (or two) that you think will go best with your selection to bring with you.
Your Committee is excited about this event and is sure you will be too.
December 9th –A Fun evening with CoLab, Simon Bell
January: BBQ at Derek’s
February: Coney’s for the 13th February 2021 – our postponed 40thanniversary outing to the Wairarapa [to include visits to Palliser and Grave/Alana]
14th October – This month we have Saint Clair Family Estate from Marlborough with Alison Downs presenting.
The Saint Clair Family
Saint Clair Family Estate was established by Neal and Judy Ibbotson in 1994, having been viticulture pioneers in Marlborough since 1978. From their first vintage, when all their wines won medals, including gold, the name Saint Clair has been synonymous with quality and its award-winning record continues today.
Saint Clair is 100% family-owned, with the next generation also involved in the day-to-day running of the company.
Daughters Sarina and Julie both work within the business in sales and marketing after studying wine business marketing at Adelaide and have a vast knowledge of the wine industry. Son Tony is responsible for the design of all Saint Clair’s packaging, promotional material and advertising. He owns a design consultancy business, the Creative Method, in Sydney. Tony designed the original Saint Clair labels back in 1994 when he was a student and has been refining and expanding the range of Saint Clair labels ever since.
Our mission is to create world-class wines that exceed their customers’ every expectation.
Starter Wine
2019 Saint Clair Origin Pinot Gris Rosé
Wine Tasting
2018Saint Clair Pioneer Block 28 Pinot Blanc
2019 Saint Clair Origin Hawke’s Bay Viognier
2019 Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc
2019 Saint Clair James Sinclair Chardonnay
2018 Saint Clair Pioneer Block 22 Pioneer Block Pinot Noir
2017 Saint Clair Origin Hawke’s Bay Merlot
Book it in now – Tasting: 14th October, starts at 8pm J’ville Community Centre – look out for our sign outside
Gerald Rillstone, Independent Hearld | Thursday, September 17, 2020
Lover of wine Alan Evans with one of his favourites a bottle of 1997 Chateau Troplong Mondot.
What better way to celebrate four decades of tasting great wine than to have Wellingtons best-known champion of the grape present a special selection from his own cellar.
And that’s what they did to celebrate the 40th birthday of the Cellar Club in Johnsonville with Alan Evans presenting a range of wines from his own collection.
It was, some say, one of the most prestigious tastings in the 40 years of the club’s existence.
Alan joined the club in 1987 and has held the roles of Editor 10 years and President 8 years and was made a life member in 2010 and still attends the dinners and the occasional tasting.
2017 Troplong Mondot St Emilion Grand Cru
He is also a Past President of the Magnum Society that was a Wellington-based wine group founded in 1972. “We buy wines that we will be drinking in about ten years time or whatever the drinking window is he says which is a lot of fun and a bit of a gamble too,” Alan says.
“We have tastings going up to around 2034.”
He is also the cellar master for the Tinakori branch of the International Beef Steak and Burgundy Club.
Alan’s love of wine was a natural progression, he says, from an interest in ciders in the 1960s to the wines of Henderson in the mid-1970s. He has an extensive temperature-controlled cellar and over the years has developed a love of European wines which he augments with premium NZ and Australian varietals.
He says these days he has the luxury of having access to a plethora of online reviews so he has a fair idea of what a wine is going to be like before he tastes it.
“I do a lot of reading about what’s new and what to expect from the wine and I am not as surprised as I used to be but there are still surprises,” he says.
Alan says the Troplong Mondot they were tasting for the celebration, according to reviews, is best consumed around 2020 to 2022 and he has tried it and it is perfect.
It’s excellent now we’re in COVID19 Level One! Well done everyone!
“One of the most prestigious tastings in the 40 years of the club’s existence”. That’s what the Independent Herald wrote in their 17th September issue when reviewing last month’s tasting. And what a night it was. For those of you fortunate enough to attend our second (and last?) meeting under COVID Level 2, I am sure you will agree it was impressive.
Presented by Life Member and former President, Alan Evans, this carefully curated (by Alan and Wayne) selection was sourced from Alan’s temperature-controlled cellar and the Club’s cellar. This is what they came up with:
2016 Ogier Cotes du Rhone Blanc
2016 Askerne Semillon
2017 Dom. Vincent Careme Vouvray Le Clos
2011 Penfolds 389
2001 Penfolds 389
1991 Coleraine
2017 Troplong Mondot St Emilion Grand Cru
It is difficult to pick favourites as all the wines were superb. However, there was some consensus at our table, so I will highlight a couple. Of the whites, the Ogier Cotes du Rhone Blanc was our pick. This bargain-priced (under $20) blend contains five grapes: Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Bouroulene, Roussane and Viognier. Produced without any oak at all, it showcases the region’s fruit above all else. Alan has become an expert in that region since, as he explained, at the Magnum Society the popular areas of France, i.e. Bordeaux and Burgundy, had already been taken. No one wanted Cotes du Rhone, so he took it!
Of the reds, it was the two Penfolds 389’s, their classic and much sought after Cabernet Shiraz wine, that was favoured at our table. Opinion differed as to which was the best but to me, it was 2001. Deep colour and very concentrated, it showed the benefits of keeping this wine for almost two decades. Alan explained that Bin 389 is often referred to as ‘Poor Man’s Grange’ or ‘Baby Grange’ because the wine is said to be matured in the same barrels that held the previous vintage of Grange. Interestingly 2001 was under cork while 2011 had a screw cap. Alan gave us the latest thinking on screw caps where there have been some disappointing results for cellared wines: the sulfur dioxide levels can be too high and produce rotten egg aromas. Some producers are returning to cork now that they can get guaranteed taint-free products like the Diam. The majority of Penfolds’ top-end red wines are now 100 per cent cork-sealed. They are also looking into the use of glass closures. Alan’s tip on removing that sulphur rotten egg smell: dip a copper penny into the wine and it will convert it to odourless copper sulphide!
This meeting was a highlight of our 40th Anniversary year and was a good opportunity to taste older cellared wines. A huge thanks go to Alan who indicated he is happy to do a similar tasting at some stage in the future.
